Angel of the dead: A Nico di Angelo Fanfiction
by HiThisIsHowLongUsernamesCanBee
Summary: Recounting our poor little Nico's tragic life. Loosely connected series of one-shots. Extreme angst warning because, well, there's like no fluff in our poor little cinnamon bun's life until Solangelo Imao. This is my first fic, so no flames or trolls please. Constructive criticism and opinions welcome and appreciated. Might have eventual Solangelo, but I might save the fluff for an
1. Chapter 1: Bianca's death

Nico and Percy walked in silence. Nico tried to concentrate on anything but the bubbly feeling he gets when he's close to Percy, or thinking about him. Percy hadn't said anything about where Bianca is yet. Nico's mind started to wander, and Percy's grim expression and the uncomfortable silence isn't helping it get anywhere positive. A while ago, Nico started getting nightmares of junkyards and metal giants. He always woke up drenched in sweat and a disturbing feeling of wrongness, like something familiar and constant suddenly disappeared, something precious wrenched away from him. Then the nightmares shifted to a dark river, a midnight castle on the opposite bank from Nico's point of view, and a boat carrying translucent humanoid mirages across to the castle. One of them looked exactly like Bianca. Nico never gotten close enough to inspect, but somehow he was sure. Even when he woke up, the feeling still persisted at the back of his mind. Percy's voice alerted him back to reality, "Nico… Bianca's dead."

The world spun. Nico faintly registered that they were on the dining pavilion. Nico stared at his shoes, feeling like the air has been punched out of him. Every muscle locked, his mind blanked, every ounce of his existence blocking out the cold, harsh, truth. Surprisingly, there was no feeling of surprise, as if he already expected this. In a way, he had. He had dashed into the Big House, anxious and desperate to be proved wrong. This was the last straw. Percy kept on talking, filling him in on the details, knocking it into his head the fact that, Bianca's dead.

"She wanted you to have this." Percy brought out a little black figurine. A Mythomagic figurine, Nico realized. He held it in his palm, staring at it. It was Hades, the only one he didn't have. And it cost Bianca her life.

Light snow fell on the marble steps of the dining pavilion, the bitter wind biting into Nico's skin. Suddenly Nico realized this was where he and Percy had last spoken before Percy went on the quest. This was where Percy promised him he would keep Bianca safe.

"You promised you would protect her," Nico said, his voice low.

Percy looked stung, "Nico, I tried. But Bianca gave herself up to save the rest of us." Excuses! "I told her not to." Lies! "But she-"

"You promised!" Nico yelled. Traitorous tears formed, and he glared through them. His fist clenched around the Hades figurine. "I shouldn't have trusted you," his voice broke under the tension. "You lied to me. My nightmares were right!"

Percy's brows furrowed, "Wait. What nightmares?"

Nico ignored him. Rage welled up inside him and he smashed the god statue against the icy marble steps. It made dull clacks as it skidded. "I hate you!" Nico shouted, and it wasn't entirely directed at Percy.

Desperation crawled into Percy's tone, "She might be alive, I don't know for sure-"

"She's dead." Nico closed his eyes against the definite truth that rang with those two words. He's body trembled, not because of the cold. The feeling of Bianca's death that has been haunting him for the last few weeks at the back of his mind nudged him again, and for the first time he embraced it. It sharpened until he could pinpoint Bianca's soul in the Underworld. "I should've known it earlier. She's in the Fields of Asphodel," Nico doesn't know how he knows the name, "standing before the judges right now, being evaluated. I can feel it."

"What do you mean, you can feel it?"

Suddenly he heard a hissing, clattering noise. Nico opened his eyes, and gasped. Four skeletons in transparent gray skin, holding sharp swords, advanced towards him and Percy at an alarming speed. Percy uncapped his pen, which grew to a three-feet-long bronze sword that accidentally came too close to Nico's face for his liking. Nico opened his mouth to asked a bunch of questions, like _Woah, are you trying to kill me? What are these...things? Did they follow you? How did they get in Camp?_ But what came out in the flurry of events and emotions was, "You're trying to kill me! You brought these...these things?"

"No! I mean, yes, they followed me, but _no!_ " Percy's expression was grave, "Nico, run. They can't be destroyed."

 _I'm not leaving you!_ "I don't trust you!"

Percy fought ferociously, but every time a skeleton got cut down, the bones would just weave themselves together again, like a creepy, magnetic, jigsaw puzzle. He's also outnumbered four to one; any minute now he would be overpowered. "Nico, run! Go get help!"

 _But would you still be alive when help arrives?_

Terror coursed through Nico. They're going to hurt Percy. "No!" He screamed. No, not Percy. Not _Percy._ Nico covered his ears with his hands, everything is so overwhelming. "GO AWAY!" he screamed again, putting everything into those two words. There was a tightening in his gut.

CRRR! Percy rolled out of the way as a huge crack ripped open in the marble, right underneath the skeletons. Flames erupted from the fissure, the skeletons fell right in. The tightening started getting painful, and Nico felt a little woozy. He let go of the tension, and the crack in the ground snapped close like a stretched rubber band with a deafening CRUNCH! Leaving a scar in the marble floor of the dining pavilion.

The adrenaline started to fade, and tirades of conflicting emotions threatened to overwhelm him, clawing at Nico's exhausted mind. "How did you do that?" Percy asked in amazement, his voice breathy with pants of exertion. Hearing his voice after such a close call with death elicited another swarm of the stupid, confusing, bubbly feeling that tugged on his heart. He had a sudden urge to run into Percy's arms, cry on his shoulder, hold him tight, and...kiss him. _No!_ "No! Go away!"

"Nico-" Percy tried.

"I hate you!" he shouted brokenly. _That couldn't have been farther from the truth,_ he realized. Nico loved Percy. _No I don't!_ He thought panickedly. _I'm a boy! Boys like girls! Only sick boys like other boys! I'm not sick! I'm not a freak!_ Nico took another look at Percy, never have the need to be close to him been so strong. Instead, He ran.


	2. Chapter 2: Ghost of Minos

Nico tripped over tree roots and snagged on branches as he tore through the forest. He vaguely heard Percy's voice behind him, shouting his name, but instead of stopping, Nico sped up.The presence of the dining pavilion pressed behind him, threatening to suffocate him with his sister's death, the truth of his feelings, and proof of his powers and parentage, if he dared to stop for one second. He pushed himself to go faster, _faster,_ to _get away_.

Tirades of emotions battled and crashed against each other and him, the residue power of ripping open the ground egging them on. Nico has long given up on holding back his tears now, if it meant any relief from the pounding pressure in his head. The tears blurred his vision, making everything seem surreal as the scenery distorted into a kaleidoscope of colors, then abruptly clearing when the tear drop fell out of his eye, before rapidly blurring up again. His eyes burned with the strain of creating so much fluids. Blood rushed in Nico's ears, a new burst of adrenaline pulsed through his body, Nico struggled to think.

Percy would catch up eventually. Nico needed a place to hide. As if on cue, he stumbled into a small clearing with a pile of boulders in the middle. _Zeus's fist,_ the name floated to the surface of his mind idly through the murk. There was a space between two boulders, Nico can see It was empty in the middle. The space should be big enough for Nico to squeeze through.

"Nico!" someone shouted.

It sounded like Annabeth. Great, now Percy told Camp! The search parties won't be far behind. Without another moment of hesitation, Nico slipped inside the ring of stone. But suddenly, he slipped. Where solid ground should be, there seemed to be a hole. Nico lost his balance and tumbled in, darkness swallowing him.

He landed a panicked, screaming pile on rough ground. Nico let loose a colorful string of curses in Italian. The war in his mind temporarily ceased, dominated by fear. Nico chocked down a whimper, everything hurts, but at least nothing felt broken. There was absolutely zero light down here. Nico waited for his eyes to adjust, but they never did. The world stayed pitch black. A hole, or opening, or anything connecting to the outside world where Nico could've possibly fell in, seemed non-existent. Nico stood up and tentatively felt around, judging from the two walls of rough, uneven stone parallel with each other and the lack of a third or fourth wall, he was in some sort of underground tunnel. He reached up, the ceiling can be reached if he stood on the tip of his toes, but all he felt was a rough expanse of rock, with occasional cracks, but still no sign of where he fell through.

Fear was blowing up to a full out panic. Nico resisted to urge to scream, not wanting to attract unwanted, unfriendly attention. Who knows what kind of nasty monsters were lurking, capable of killing him without a single sound. He had to get out of here, wherever "here" is, as soon as possible. He wiped his tears and stood.

"As soon as possible" wasn't very soon, at _all._ Nico searched for an exit for a few more minutes, when nothing useful was discovered, he decided to move. A moving target is harder to track than a stationary one, and Nico had no desires of dying yet. Risking running into monsters was way better than staying there and waiting for something to come and eat him. Besides, if this is a tunnel, somebody had to have dug it, meaning an exit. Nico kept one hand on the left wall, and carefully ventured into the darkness.

The tunnel was very keen on proving him wrong. It had to been, what, an hour? But still it stretched on and on into the darkness, showing no sign of Nico reaching the end. He couldn't help but feel as if he's walking in the same spot, even if he could clearly feel the rough stone sliding along his fingers. Time stretched on forever, not unlike the tunnel. The darkness and the lack of progress nibbled at Nico's mind, he hadn't encountered any tangible dangers yet, but right now he would almost appreciate a hellhound, if just to break the maddening monotone. His nerves were wracked and frayed, Nico is tempted to let down his guard, but knew better to do so in a ominous, magical tunnel. Making sure to be as aware as he could be, Nico marched on.

Nico is starting to lose track of time. The tension made his body thrum like a live wire, every muscle tense and ready to spring, jumping at the slighted sound. Somewhere he had gone from being alert to being skittish and, quite frankly, frightened. Nico's always been an active child, but now he is down right jumpy. The darkness seemed to be gaining in density, Nico felt as if any minute now it would take substance, and suffocate him. The hairs on the back of Nico's neck constantly prickled, in that way it does when one's being watched, so profoundly, it felt like needles jabbing at his back. No matter how he tried to reason with himself, Nico still couldn't shake the feeling of being _watched,_ as if the tunnel itself was alive and sneering at his futile attempt at escape. The crunching of his shoes against the hard ground was starting to sound more and more like whispers. His legs felt sore from the constant walking, but Nico didn't stop. Didn't dare sto- _SNAP!_ Nico stifled a scream and jumped away from the source of the sound, accidentally ramming into the left wall, before realizing it was just a twig. His legs trembled and his head hummed, his heart attempting murder against his rib cage. The dark haired boy didn't want to admit it, maybe for some notion that avoiding it made it somehow less real, but this place is slowly eating away his sanity.

The sense of time is a distant thing to Nico, like the world above. Fatigue, hunger, and the day's events are taking their merciless toil on the boy's body, despite his mind's protests. Nico's semses are slowly shutting down, save for the excruciating burning, most prominent in his stomach, left arm and legs. A heavy blanket of exhaustion clouded his senses, his balance and direction completely dependent of the wall. Everything is too hot and too cold at once. His feet were too big and too heavy, constantly tripping over one another. _Why am I walking again?_ Nico thought deliriously. _Oh, right, because it's dangerous to stop, because I need to get out._ The wall scraped his hand raw, but could bearly feel it. Every few seconds Nico consciously reminded himself to breathe. At some point his eyes drifted shut, it made no difference anyways, it's too dark. The pain intensified until it's all Nico could focus on. He gritted his teeth, but soon relaxed them to gasp sharply, he hadn't realized he was holding his breath. Nico shook his head. He also didn't realize he had stopped, and sunken to his knees. _Walking takes so much energy...No one can see you anyways..._ Without getting up, Nico crawled on, still keeping one hand on the wall.

Nico never thought he would be deliriously happy because of a nap. He also never thought he was capable of falling asleep on cold, hard, rough ground, with a ravenous stomach, surrounded by the feeling of danger and malice. But right now, he would've given anything, _anything,_ for that exact thing. He's body shuffled forward on autopilot, and his mind wondered. It drifted, swayed, and scattered, giving Nico the false sensation of swinging and spinning even as he leaned on the wall. _Please...please...please..._ He unconsciously prayed, not even sure what he's asking. Anything, as long as it ceased the _pain._ The tunnel whispered, _then take a nap...just lie down for a little while...aren't you exhausted...?_

"No..." Nico mumbled, more to himself. "No...Keep going..."

 _Give in..._

"No...No...! I'm not...giving up!" Nico's voice was scratchy in his throat, and the sentence wasted precious breath. Who was he even talking to?

Everything hurts, everything is shaking. With horror, Nico realized he wouldn't be able to go another inch. There was a devastating finalness to that thought, somehow, he knew, this nap would be his last, and would be his forever. _All that...What for?_ Nico thought bitterly. His eyes heated up and filled, slowly, with fresh tears that threatened to break the dam of his closed eyelids. With a shuddering sigh, Nico open his eyes to allow the tears to fall. He expected pure darkness, instead, a phantom light shone somewhere to his right. He would've started if he have the energy. Nico blinked the tears from his eyes, and instead of dissapearing, the light came into sharper focus, forming the shape of a man. He's lower half was misty smoke, and he wore a crown. Nico could see the faintly illuminated wall behind him. _A ghost._ He thought, _Well, here goes the hope that I'll at least die sane. But at least I'll be with Bianca now._

"Nico." the ghost said.

Nico promptly passed out in response.

 **A/N: Happy New Year! I know, not yet, but stilllllll. Please tell me any spelling, grammar, or suggestions of changes, 'cause I typed the majority of this in the middle of the night, which was not good for my health or sanity considering what I'm writing. I'm kidding. But the middle of the night part is true, so is the grammar part. I should also probably rethink my choices. I was hoping for faster updates since it's WINTER BREAK WOOHOO, buuuuut, expectation VS reality...I'm sorry. Anyways, consider this my New Year gift to you, since last chapter was the Christmas gift. Or not, 'cause I'm basically asking you to be my editor, and editing is horribly annoying. Oh well. Happy New Year!**


	3. Chapter 3: Reunion

Elysium was heaven for good reason. Surrounded by its opulence, Nico could hardly believe this is the Underworld. For one thing, the warm, buttery sunlight shouldn't have been possible. Quaint houses, towering mansions, rolling hills and bright cities, all worthy souls' dream afterlife rolled into one, but somehow never clashing or running our of space. At the center, a glittering blue lake separated three lush islands from the rest. The Isles of the Blessed. In Nico's opinion, Bianca is more than worthy of them, but that's not where they're headed.

Minos took a peculiar turn to Nico's right, leading them down a neighborhood of an older, but more familiar style of houses. _Familiar?_ Nico frowned slightly, but quickly shook it of. An old-fashioned ghost smiled at him as they floated pass, though Nico could see the confusion flicker across his face. Nico rolled his shoulders uncomfortablely, he was used to odd looks, being the "weird kid" at school and Camp, but that doesn't mean he has to like it. His footsteps were suddenly too loud, his clothes ragged and out-of-place. He stomped down the self-consciousness and trudged on.

Finally they stopped. The house was pretty average for Elysium standards, which translates extraordinary in real world standards. Nico was caught of guard by a sudden wave of familiarity, though if he ever saw a house this nice, he would surely remember. _No,_ he shook his head slightly, _it's just the style that I recognize, the older houses all looked a little familiar anyways._ Nico took a step forward, then stopped. A strange trepidation suddenly seized his throat.

"This..." Nico's voice gave an undignified squeak, he cleared his throat and tried again. "This is where she is?"

"Yes." Minos nodded, his form flashing briefly. Nico didn't bother turning his head to look at him, he couldn't tear his eyes off the house. Ghosts dissapear when stared at head-long anyways. Nico took a deep, steadying breath and walked up to the door. This is his sister, nothing would change that. Nico raised his hand and knocked.

The door opened after a brief pause, and there's Bianca, a huge smile on her face. Smokey and translucent, sure, but still Bianca. Nico could feel his own mouth curving into a smile at his sister's infectious grin, but Bianca's face dropped when she saw Nico. Her expression went through a subtle sequence of shock, confusion, disbelief, sadness, before hardening into a careful neutral. It was a mask she wore when facing unknown, potential threats. Nico was relieved that he could still read his sister, Bianca really didn't change, but he was also hurt Bianca used that expression against him. For a moment, awkward silence fell, neither of them knowing what to say. Bianca's dark eyes searched his own identical ones, they were a warm, dark brown, one might mistake it for a black at first glance. Not knowing what to do, Nico stared back, eyes wide with hurt and confusion. Slowly, Bianca's face softened, and Nico was suddenly pulled into a what would've been bone crushing hug, if Bianca had substance.

"Come inside." Bianca smiled again, gently pushing at him from behind, which felt like a warm breeze nudging at his back. He stepped over the threshold, and a throat cleared behind him. Minos! He had forgotten he was even there. Bianca turned sharply to look at the source of the sound, her eyes narrowing and the coldness returning. Faint, started recognition flash across her face, and her arms tightened protectively around Nico. Nico suddenly had a flashback to when they were both alive and unaware of their true parentage, going to school at Westover Hall. Bianca would stand against bullies just like this.

"King Minos," she addressed him coolly.

"Miss di Angelo," Minos dipped his head.

"What are you doing here, if it's not rude of me to ask?" Bianca's tone was ice, the question sharp like broken shards. Nico didn't know what was going on, but the tension in the air was thick enough to chock a man. He tugged on Bianca's sleeve, only to have his hand pass through thin air. It got her attention nonetheless.

"Bianca, he lead me here, back to you," Nico said, trying to lessen some of his sister's hostility. It seemed to have the exact opposite effect. Bianca's face dropped another few degrees.

"He lead you here? Down into the Underworld?" Bianca's eyes snapped to Minos, "With all due respect, Your Majesty, are you aware of how dangerous it it for the living to venture down here?"

"Of course, miss. But the young prince insisted, regardless of my warnings," Minos relied smoothly.

"Young prince?" Bianca's dark brown eyes flashed.

"Surely you are aware, you and your brother's father is none other than Hades, the Lord of the Underworld himself." Minos replied, his eyebrows raised. Nico didn't like the tone he used, it reminded him of the way self-righteous teachers at Westover would address them as if they were confused toddlers.

Bianca opened her mouth for another retort, before snapping it shut and glancing around. "Come inside." she gritted out. Her glare followed Minos the entire way. Behind them, she shut the door with more force than necessary.

The inside of the house was overwhelmingly familiar too, and it would've been disturbing if it hadn't felt so comfortable. Without thinking, Nico walked over the the large couch at the center and nestled down on one side, curling his knees up to his chest. Bianca's eyes were soft as she cuddled up to his side. It felt so natural, so _right_ , as if they've done this a thousand times, when Nico couldn't remember the last time they did this. It made him strangely nostalgic, for some reason.

Minos made himself home at a single's couch to their right, leaning back draping his arms across the armrests. "Now what it is you wish to discuss, miss?" he asked.

"Don't give me that," Bianca spat, "since when did you care about children of Hades? You have a hard enough time obeying Hades himself! Much less demigod bastards."

"My, I've always been a humble servant of Lord Hades! Are you sure you are feeling quite well, miss?" Minos feigned surprise.

"'Humble servant', as if you consider yourself anything less than a king! You are not loyal to Hades, and certainly not loyal to my brother. What do you want with him?" Bianca demanded fiercely.

"Only the best. I brought him to you as that was his wish, hadn't I? I could also train him, your brother has much potential, he could be very powerful, if given the chance." Minos said with a gleam in his eyes.

"And what in return for all your _kindness_?" Bianca said sarcastically, emphasizing on the last word.

"Nothing! I already have all I want! Power, fame, respect..." Minos made a sweeping gesture with each word. "I simply don't want such talents to go to waste without proper nourishment!"

"Chiron is the best trainer of all Greek heroes. Nico has the 'proper nourishment' he needs from Camp Half-Blood."

"Does he now." Minos smirked and turned to Nico. "Do you?"

Bianca frowned and looked at Nico. Nico curled into a tighter ball as the memories, still fresh, intruded into his mind again and wound him anew. Bianca's confusion turned into concern, and she drew him closer. "Nico, cosa c'è che non va? _(Nico, what's wrong?)_ " Nico shook his head, he glanced at Minos then back at Bianca. She understood. "King Minos, if you will excuse us." Bianca gave Minos another glare before leading Nico inside.

They stopped at the bedroom. It was spacious and soft and, again, familiar. The siblings resumed their cuddling on the bed under a soft, warm blanket.

"Tesoro, di cosa stava parlando? _(Treasure, what was he talking about?)_ " Bianca asked gently after a little while of just cuddling. Nico lifted his head to look at her, then quickly averted his eyes.

"Mi dispiace. _(I'm sorry.)_ " he mumbled. Bianca stroked his back steadily.

"Va bene. Parlami, mio angioletto. _(it's okay. Talk to me, my little angel.)_ " Bianca prompted gently.

Nico took a deep breath and described the events, her death, his parentage, him running away, stumbling into the Labyrinth then getting rescued by Minos to her. "...E non voglio tornare a Camp, tesoro, sono spaventati e disgustati dai bambini di Ade. E, Percy...Bianca, penso...Lo _amo_...Io, lo non posso... _(...And I don't want to go back to Camp, treasure, they are afraid and disgusted by the children of Hades. And, Percy... Bianca, I think...I_ like _him...I, I can't...)_ " his voice broke, and Nico trailed off. But Bianca seemed to get it. At some point Nico had started crying, quiet, clear pearls rolling down his face and leaving dark stains on the blanket.

"Bianca, Mi piacciono i ragazzi! _(Bianca...I like boys!)_ " Nico turned to Bianca, eyes wide and vulnerable; he whispered, "Cara, sono spaventato. _(Dear, I'm scared.)_ " Bianca didn't speak, instead, she pulled him into a smothering hug. It felt like soft wind pressing into him, but it was comforting to be surrounded by a steady, loving, familiar presence. They stayed like that until the tears finally dried. Bianca slowly pulled away. She lifted an arm to rub away the tear tracks, before abruptly retracting her hand. Nico pretended to not notice, and wiped them himself.

"Mimmo, mi dispiace molto, ma ci sono alcune cose che devo dirti, e devi ricordare, ok? _(baby, I'm so sorry, but there are a few things I have to tell you, and you have to remember, okay?)_ "Bianca said gently, traceing a finger carefully along the frame of Nico's face. The tip of the finger dissapeared and as Nico nodded slightly. Meticulously, as if telling a story, Bianca broke the news of their memories being erased, the jumping through time in the Lotus Hotel as gently as she could to Nico.

"...Questa casa è un aggiornamento da casa nostra, motivo per cui tutto sembra familiare. La tua stanza è proprio in fondo al corridoio, in realtà, e ha ancora tutti i tuoi manifesti dei pirati, _(...This house is an upgrade from our home, which is why everything seems familiar. Your room is right down the hall, actually, and it still has all your pirate posters,)_ " she chuckled.

Bianca also tried her best to warn Nico about Minos, "...Nico, ti sto promettendo, lui non vuole aiutarti. Ti sta usando! Non farebbe nulla che non gli gioverebbe, e tu devi stare attento! _(...Nico, I'm promising you, he does not want to help you. He's using you! He wouldn't do anything that doesn't benefit him, and you need to be careful!)_ " But Nico seemed convinced he summoned Minos, and as a son of Hades, can rightfully command him. He did promise to not trust Minos, though.

"...E infine, ricorda sempre che ti amo, mio angioletto. Mi dispiace tanto che ti abbia lasciato per unirti ai Cacciatori di Artemide, ma sarò sempre con te. _(...And finally, always remember I love you, my little angel. I'm so sorry I left you to join the Hunters of Artemis, but I will always be with you.)_ " Bianca smiled, and gestured to Nico's left hand. On the middle finger, he wore the silver skull ring that she gave him. It was her last present to Nico before she died.

"Ti amo anch'io Bianca. _(I love you too Bianca.)_ " Nico whispered. Bianca planted an airy kiss on Nico's forehead, then layed back down on the bed. Nico copied her, and they just relaxed for a simple moment, relishing the peace and contentment. Nico engraved this in his mind, he can't stay, and Fates knows the next time he can be with his sister. He closed his eyes, and breathed.

"Non ti addormenterai, vero? _(You're not going to fall asleep, are you?)_ " Bianca said in a teasing tone after a few minutes. Nico opened his eyes with a pout. Bianca blew a warm gust of air onto Nico's face, tickling his eyes. "Ughhhhhh, _Biancaaaaaaa..._ " Nico whined, dragging out each syllable and screwing his eyes shut. He heard Bianca getting up. Nico groaned and blindly flopped off. "Come on, _King Minos,_ " Bianca stressed with an eye roll, "is waiting." She pulled Nico up, and together, the siblings ventured out of the sanctuary of the room.

Nico never got to return, and it would be a long time before he finds sanctuary anywhere else.

 **A/N: Super hela mega quiznaking dam ooooooooof... Well that sucked. Trash chapter I know sorry. Also all Italian is google translated sooooo, you know, I bet it's super CRINGEY and well let me know how to fix it and what went wrong. Just comment. I hope the English meaning of what I was trying to say in brackets behind it wasn't to confusing or messy. I did search up Italian endearments though, and if you see "baby" or "dear" or "treasure" that's just the literal translation according to all the websites. I made sure that's was friends and family. Also very close, especially Tesoro, the treasure one. Caro and cara the dear, is way more casual. It's totally conpeletly 100% platonic sibling love don't get dirty minded! Also that's just gross. Well anyways HAPPY NEW YEARS EVE!**


	4. Chapter 4: Aviator's Jacket

"Yo, kid!" A voice bellowed, words slightly slurred by alcohol. Nico tensed, speeding up as he walked pass the dingy little club. Minos had returned to the Underworld temporarily to do his Ghost King duties and whatever. They had just exited the Underworld, and Nico realized running away from Camp meant he's basically homeless now. It's nighttime, and he's an easy target for street thugs, skinny, lost, and alone. "Hey!" the person shouted again.

Suddenly a meaty hand clamped down on Nico's shoulder and swung him around to face the hands owner. He had arms and legs as thick as telephone poles, attached to a beach ball body. He towered a few heads over Nico like a rumbling meat mountain. He was wearing a white shirt, and jeans that would've been baggy on anyone else. An aviator's jacket stretched taunt across his shoulders. Small eyes squinted at Nico from a pale, pug-like face that flushed an angry scarlet from whatever he was drinking. The coloring contrasted against bleach-blond short hair that would've been otherwise invisible in the flashing lightings of the club. "I was talking to you!" he barked in Nico's face. His breath smelled rancid and bitter.

"Oh! Um...sorry?" Nico curled in on himself while his mind whirled for an escape. If he could get Meat Mountain's hand off him, Nico could probably make a run for it, there are plenty of small alleyways here, wherever they are. And with how drunk, how large he is, Nico doubt he can catch up.

"You should be. Ignoring people isn't very nice," Meat Mountain jeered, intruding farther into Nico personal space.

"Um, yeah, sorry, can you let go of me now?" Nico rolled his shoulder and took a step back as inconspicuously as possible. Meat Mountain tightened his grip instead, and took a step forward with Nico. Nico took another step backwards, and M.M. took another forwards. If Nico kept backing up he'll be trapped against a wall. Gritting his teeth, Nico stood his ground as the older teen's odor of sweat and alcohol permeated his nose.

"No," Meat Mountain drawled, "I don't think I'll let go of you. You need to apologize for ignoring me, that was rude." He leaned down as he said this, so they are face to face.

Nico clenched his teeth. "...I'm sorry." He tried not to glare, not wanting more trouble.

"What was that?" M.M. picked at an ear, pretending not to hear.

"I said," Nico tried again, louder this time, "I'm sorry."

"No you're not," M.M. decided, flicking a disgusting amount of earwax from his fingernail. "I don't believe you," he smirked.

"What do you want?" Nico growled, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. Every muscled tensed, ready to spring in a moments notice.

"Now, no need to get feisty," he gave Nico a toothy grin, "I'm could really use some cash, and if you're really sorry, you'd gimme some, yeah?"

"I don't have any money." Nico reached up and attempted to rip that's disgusting hand off his shoulder. The fingers tightened instead, to the point that it's painful. Nico's glare intensified. "Let go off me, _cesso_! _(toilet/ugly!)_ "

Meat Mountain(M.M.) didn't reply, instead he grabbed Nico's wrist, pinned them with one hand behind Nico, and groped around with the other hand. Nico twisted and kicked, but it seemed to have no effect on M.M.'s thick shins. His curses fell on deaf ears and dissipated in a cool night air before reaching any potential help. Nico watched in helpless, frantic, disgusted horror as the thug shredded his privacy, violated his personal space.

"What's this?" he pulled a stack of cards out of Nico's back pocket, groping his butt in the process. A disgusted shiver shook Nico's body. M.M. examed the cards drunkenly. They were Nico's Mythomagic cards, he'd forgotten they were even there. He didn't take them out of his pocket when the news of the quester's return reached them, so he'd been carrying them around this whole time. M.M.'s stupid, intoxicated bran finally decide it wasn't money and it wasn't anything valuable. He tossed Nico's prized possession carelessly on the ground, and continued the invasive rummaging. Nico's voice is hoarse with all the screaming now, and he stopped and concentrated on kicking Meat Mountain.

When M.M. was done scouring Nico's torso, he forced Nico's wrists in front of him, and inspected Nico's arms and fingers. He yanked the skull ring off.

"No!" Nico shouted, landing another kick on M.M.'s shin. With one of M.M.'s hands occupied with the ring, Nico now had one free hand. He pulled M.M.'s hair and scratched his eyes.

"Mother-" he's other hand flew to the eye Nico jabbed.

"Give it back!" Nico yelled. With both hands free, he wrestled the ring from M.M.'s fingers.

"You little-" Meat Mountain made a blind swipe at Nico, Nico dodged and kneed him in the groin.

While the pain is still keeping M.M. occupied, Nico swiped his cards off the ground and took of randomly into knee of the narrow alleys. He heard M.M. bellowing profanities behind him, and soon the sound of heavy footsteps joined. Nico took blind twists and turns, hoping to throw M.M. off, but M.M. obviously knew this area better, and soon, Nico found himself lost and cornered in a dead-end. Meat Mountain smirked cruelly. Nico forced himself to calm down and tried to remember the hand-to-hand combat techniques at Camp.

"Well, well, well," M.M. scowled and paused. Nico suspects it's because he couldn't come up with anything other than, _Who do we have here?_ to continue that sentence.

M.M. stalked closer. Nico's mind whirled frantically for an idea, an escape, but his brain seemed to have accepted that there's going to be a fight, and Nico's going to lose. M.M. stopped in front of Nico. His large hands flexed into fists.

Without warning, one of those fist came in brutal contact with Nico's face. White-hot pain shot through his head from his cheek, his hands instinctive flying up to the site. He staggered backwards. Before he can react farther, another fist crashed into Nico's stomach, punching the air out of him and stifling his scream. The force of the blow tipped Nico's already precarious balance, and he fell on his butt. Pain shot up his spine through his tailbone. His head swimmed with pain, his eyes swimmed with tears. Nico shakily removed his hands from his face and tried to push himself up. Before he could, a foot kicked him in the groin. He curled into himself on the ground from the pain. M.M. tugged Nico to face level by his collar, Nico struggled to get enough air with both feet off the ground.

"Not so tough now, are you?" M.M. hissed venomously into Nico's ear. Without warning, he tossed Nico back, Nico hit the back wall and crumpled into a pile on the ground, dirty gravel digging into his knees and palms. Meat Mountain slowly loomed closer, his humongous shadow slowly swallowed Nico, blocking out all light, all hope, as M.M. approached.

Nico slowly unfurled himself from the fetal position. There's no way he'd be walking out of this situation unscathed, why spare Meat Mountain the pain? He's slow, and drunk, the he only thing he has on his side is strength. If he's going to beat Nico up, he has to at least work for it. A strange feeling spreaded over Nico, a well of strength awakened deep inside of him, a pressure in his gut. Adrenaline? Before he could question it further, M.M. swung a huge fist at his head. Nico ducked, and threw a punch of his own. A column of blackness impacted with M.M. chest, throwing him back with sheer force. Nico blinked, that wasn't his arm. M.M. recovered quickly, swearing, he staggered up and charged at him like a bull. Nico raised his arms to brace for impact, accidentally drawing on the mysterious reserve again. A wave of shadows lifted off the ground, breaking free of their hosts' shapes, turning three-dimensional and gaining substance. The shadow-wall slammed into M.M. and pushed him right out of the alley before collapsing back to harmless silhouettes on the ground. Meat Mountain laid on the ground and didn't move.

Nico's breath hitched, and he slowly walked towards M.M.'s unmoving body, wincing with pain every step. When he's about arms reach from Meat Mountain, Nico stopped to inspect him. Somehow, as he got closer, he knew M.M. wasn't dead. That thought erased some of the guilt when he spotted a huge, ugly bruise blooming colorfully on M.M.'s forehead.

Nico leaned closer in curiosity, when suddenly M.M.'s eyes flew open, and his fist flew for Nico's face. Nico jumped back and a hand thrusted out blindly. A spike of shadow almost skewered M.M. alive. It lanced though a back of M.M.'s hand, grazing his chest and spraying dark red liquid everywhere. Nico was splattered. He stood there, shocked, as M.M. wailed an inhuman sound and passed out from the pain. Nico could feel a scream of his own building in his throat. He raised two shaking hands, also splattered with blood, and covered his mouth in an effort to keep it in. Tears tumbled out of his eyes, carving burning, bloody tracks down his face before dissapearing under his hands. _He isn't dead, he isn't dead, he isn't dead..._ Nico repeated to himself, but every time he felt marginally better, the warm, sticky liquid trickling down his face, down his hands, his arms, his body, his legs, his _everywhere_ send him into another panicked frenzy.

 _Help!_ He tried to say, but all that came out was a garbled, stuttering screech, peppered with sobs. _Help!_ Nico tried again, but chocked as all sorts of fluids intruded into the wrong tube. He felt sick to his stomach, Nico coughed and hacked and until he was puking, his guts rebelling and making valiant attempts at flipping themselves inside out. He wanted to wipe his eyes to clear his vision, but his hands were covered with blood. The acidic scent of vomit and blood assaulted his nostrils, and Nico slowly staggered away. _Run,_ his mind urged, but his body felt like lead. He couldn't move, couldn't _breathe-_

"Nico." someone said. Nico jumped, turning his head to the source of the sound so fast he risked whiplash. He sagged a little at the sight of Minos.

Nico scrambled for his voice, it came out scratchy and broken, "What do I do?" Minos floated closer and awkwardly wrapped his arms around him. He has clearly never tried to comfort anyone before, but Nico can't find enough energy to care. They stayed there for a minute until Nico calmed down a little bit.

"Nico, you are not going to like this, but you need to grab that jacket, and any money he might have on him." Minos said in the gentlest tone he can manage. Nico started to protest, but Minos cut him off, "You don't have any mortal money, and you need that to survive, Nico. It's winter, you'll need the jacket too. One of the first thing you need to buy if clothes, if you don't want mortal authorities' attention." Minos listed a few other reasons, but Nico had stopped listening. He wordlessly collected the idems and tried his best to ignore the blood. Minos then took him to a tiny nameless Underworld stream that tingled uncomfortablely but removed the blood with getting him wet. The banks were hard and dusty, but at least it's not like Styx's banks, all jagged black rock. Nico barely had time to lay down before passing out into a blissfully dreamless sleep.

 **Arthor's note: well** _ **finally**_ **another chapter am I right? I hope it didn't disappoint. As usual, tell me if I made a mistake, or if you have a really good idea/suggestion, or anything. I'd like to get to know my precious readers, you are wonderful people, suffering through chapter after chapter of trash. The stream thing I just made up, I just can't** _ **stand**_ **the idea of ending this chapter with Nico still covered in blood. Tbh the part where M.M. wakes up and almost gets skewered could've been deleted and the plot'll still be fine, but I added it anyways. Idk why, but I'm proud of it. Hope it didn't gross you out. What a great way to ruin the start of 2019! Maybe it's because I'm slightly depressed** _ **just realizing**_ **how close school is and isn't prepared ;-; Oh, well, have a great day❣**


	5. Chapter 5: Careful of what you wish for

"I want to see Bianca."

The mysterious little brook made no sounds as it trickled past. The raven-haired boy stared resolutely at the silent stream, knees pulled up to his chest, skinny frame swallowed by the over-sized jacket around his shoulders. Nico already knew the answer he was going to get, he heard the same thing countless times before, asked countless times before. He stopped himself from flinching as Minos's apathetic voice sounded behind him.

"No, you can't."

"Why?" Nico asked, bracing for the same answer but praying for a different one, any different one.

"It's too risky. Venturing into the Underworld is a dangerous quest worthy of the best of heroes! It was thanks to me, and possibly your father, that you didn't encounter any trouble. I never should've taken you down there that first time. Your sister is dead-"

"I know she's dead!" Nico crumbled. Everything is too much, he is scared. Bianca is his only sanctuary, Nico needs her, needs that sense of safety, sureness and calm like food or air. He stood up and whirled around so fast he almost got whiplash. The weight of her absence threatened to chock him, Nico resented the crack in his voice, the lump in his throat, and the burn in his eyes as he screamed at Minos. "I don't care! I... She...!" A thousand things fought to be said, but Nico found himself tongue-tied with rage and a more overwhelming emotion he didn't want to acknowledge.

"Nico-" Minos warned, but Nico interrupted again.

"I don't care!" Nico repeated, tone border-lining hysterical. "I'm the son of Hades, and I want to see my sister! I-"

"Being the son of Hades does not mean you don't have to suffer from lose, even Lord Hades himself had to. Flaunt your heritage all you want, your sister is still dead," Minos growled, cutting him off.

Boiling anger crashed through Nico, he opened his mouth to fire back venomous retorts, but the words got stuck in his throat and died. Bianca _was_ dead. He'd been denying the unforgiving truth ever since the first dream about her death, and seeing her again, even as a ghost, allowed him to keep ignoring, to keep pretending... Minos's words slapped him back to a cruel reality Nico wasn't ready to accept yet. Nico snapped his jaws shut, and tried to cling onto the anger roaring in him not a minute ago. It was the only thing that kept him from being crushed, the only driftwood in a raging sea of despair.

Nico clamped his hands over his ears in an attempt to shut everything out, to escape, to _get away._ Everything is too chaotic, too malicious, too merciless, too much. The pathetic amount of mortal money he got was rapidly running out , and Nico found himself eating one McDonald's happy meal a day to save money. But that wouldn't last. Nico sucked in a breath and tried to redirect his thoughts. He felt like ever since the dining pavilion, ever since that dream, ever since _Percy,_ the only time he could finally _breathe_ was with Bianca. He can't deal with all this alone. His sister has always been there for him, a constant he took for granted, like the sun, or the stars. He hadn't had time to absorb the fact that she's gone, and he refuses to. Losing her would be no different if the sun won't rise in the morning.

"No," he whispered, "no, please, pl-"

"Nico, she's DEAD!" Minos roared.

Nico fell silent again. Bianca is _dead. She's dead!_ Minos's word echoed in Nico's head, repeating, amplifying, bouncing around until it threatened to consume his being. He slowly sat down again, his right facing the silent little stream. If only she isn't dead.

If only she hadn't gone on that quest.

If only she didn't join the Hunters.

If only Percy kept his promise.

If only she didn't try to get him that stupid, _stupid,_ Mythomagic figurine.

If only she isn't DEAD.

Nico squeezed his eyes shut, the world spun. He shifted in his uncomfortable crouch, his legs and butt are getting numb. Something rectangular dug into his backside; the Mythomagic cards.

If only she didn't try to get him that stupid figurine.

If only she isn't _dead_.

Nico pulled the stack of cards out with stiff fingers. He shuffled through them detachedly with automatic, robotic movements, fanning them out one by one. His fingers stilled as his eyes caught on one card. _Demigod, child of Hades._ Ablurry silhouette of a person was printed onto the card with shiny black ink. They were lithe and fit, their back turned so it's impossible to tell the gender. The silhouette stood in a graveyard, ominous white mist cloaking the ground and the crooked headstones. As Nico stared, a crease curved and branched it's way across the reflective surface of the card; he loosened his grip, he didn't realize he was clenching.

Nico quickly shuffled the card away, hiding it in the deck, when his fingers fumbled again. _Demigod, son of Poseidon._ The exact silhouette, except this time the scenery is a beautiful, yet dangerous and powerful ocean. Nico's fingertips whitened with the force of his clutch, his face distorted as a thousand emotions crashed into him without warning. As if burned, he threw the cursed cards as far away from him as he can. The stack immediately separated in mid-air, fluttering down hesitantly like broken butterfly wing. Some landed in the stream and was washed away, some landed on the opposite bank, and some tumbled down right next to Nico. He whipped his head the opposite direction and buried it between his knees and arms. This new posture was as uncomfortable as can be, but Nico refused to move.

 _If only she isn't dead._

Minos's flickering form flashed in his peripheral, but he didn't say anything. Nico was grateful for the silence, even as it became a perfect breeding ground for the _if_ s, blame, and guilt that swirled and bucked inside of him like a wild, chaotic funnel cloud. _Gods, why does it have to hurt so much?_ A pitiful sound escaped Nico, and the son of Hades slumped in on himself like a deflated balloon. He counted three deep-breaths before lifting his head to peer at Minos.

"I just wish she's not dead," Nico said into the open air, where the words hung heavy, crossing a line. "Please..." his voice cracked under the pressure of the lump in his throat. _Gods! Enough crying!_ Nico swallowed forcefully, "please, I...I'll do anything." Desperation crawled through him, and he knows he meant it. Dam it, he just wants to see his sister!

Minos frowned and opened his mouth, but then he must've seen something in Nico's expression, because he paused and his expression slid into something considering and unreadable. "Anything?"

Though he kept his words careful and blank, something about Minos's tone set Nico's instincts screaming in alarm. Nico's hand crept towards the skull ring on his finger, it was the last thing Bianca gave him, and he twiddled and twisted it in an attempt to calm himself with that little trace of Bianca. But why resort to the ring when he has a chance to get the real person back? His resolve set, Nico repeated, "Anything."

Minos's responding smile sent a chill down Nico's spine.

 **A/N: I am, so, terribly sorry for this anticlimactic piece of schist that took sooooooo long. I have absolutely zero idea how to write grief, and I kept deleting stuff I wrote, and when it gets stuck I use the excuse "you can't force good writing" to keep procrastinating and...I have no real excuse. I'm sorry. Oh well at least now we are finally past this and Nico wants Bianca alive and Minos is plotting his evil plot so we are back on track with the PJO books! Have a good one precious people, and thank you so much for reading❣**


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